Delay expected for Theys' murder trial<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The trial of nine members of the Army's special force
\n(Kopassus) accused of killing Papuan leader Theys Hiyo Eluay will
\nlikely face further delay because the military police cannot
\nguarantee they can hand over the results of their investigation
\nto military prosecutors next month.<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. Hendardji, deputy chief of the military police,
\nsaid on Friday the investigative team were having difficulties
\ncollecting evidence, as well as the testimonies of several
\nwitnesses, calling the high-profile case \"very sensitive\".<\/p>\n
Hendardji, also chairman of the Indonesian Military (TNI)
\ninvestigative team, initially said he would hand over the results
\nof the investigation this month, but it was rejected as
\n\"incomplete\" by military prosecutors.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot set a deadline for the handing over of the
\ninvestigation's results because most of the witnesses have
\nrefused to testify. So what we need is more time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Sulaiman A.B. said
\nthe Kopassus members were likely to be tried this month, soon
\nafter the TNI investigative team hand over the dossiers to
\nprosecutors.<\/p>\n
But, Sulaiman retracted his statement a few days later, saying
\nthe trial might be delayed because the team had yet to complete
\nits investigation.<\/p>\n
Theys, also a chairman of the Papuan Presidium Council (PDP),
\nwas found dead in November last year, only hours after he had
\nattended a commemoration of the National Heroes Day at the
\nJayapura-based Kopassus headquarters.<\/p>\n
Nine Kopassus members are being detained at the military
\npolice's cell for allegedly killing Theys. The include Lt. Col.
\nHartomo, Maj. Doni Hutabarat and Capt. Rianaldo.<\/p>\n
Many had demanded the government proceed with the case at the
\nhuman rights tribunal, considering that TNI as an institution was
\nbelieved to have engineered the killing.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Rianaldo's father Agus Zihof, a retired
\nmilitary officer, sent a letter to Army Chief of Staff Gen.
\nRyamizard Ryacudu, informing that his son was being forced by a
\nman namely Maj. Andika Perkasa, a Kopassus member and also a son-
\nin-law of Hendropriyono, the National Intelligence Agency (BIN)
\nchief, to confess to killing Theys.<\/p>\n
In his letter, Agus also revealed that \"Andika had promised my
\nson a good position at BIN, because his father (Hendropriyono)
\nholds one of the top positions there\".<\/p>\n
Hendardji said the team would not question Andika.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/delay-expected-for-theys-murder-trial-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }